God Talks to Moses Face to Face. 

Exodus 33:1-34:4

Bible Stories

Exodus 33:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Go forth, ascend from this place, you and your people, whom you led away from the land of Egypt, into the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: To your offspring, I will give it.

Exodus 33:2 And I will send an Angel to precede you, so that I may cast out the Canaanite, and the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

Exodus 33:3 and so that you may enter into a land flowing with milk and honey. For I will not go up with you, since you are a stiff-necked people, lest perhaps I may destroy you on the way.”

Exodus 33:4 And upon hearing this very bad news, the people mourned; and no one put on his finery according to custom.

Exodus 33:5 And the Lord said to Moses: “Say to the sons of Israel: You are a stiff-necked people. I should at once go up into your midst and destroy you. Now immediately put aside your ornaments, so that I may know what to do to you.”

Exodus 33:6 Therefore, the sons of Israel put aside their ornaments before Mount Horeb.

Exodus 33:7 Also, Moses took the tabernacle and pitched it beyond the camp at a distance, and he called its name: ‘Tabernacle of the Covenant.’ And all the people, who had any kind of question, went out to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, beyond the camp.

Exodus 33:8 And when Moses went out to the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and each one stood at the door of his pavilion, and they beheld the back of Moses until he entered the tent.

Exodus 33:9 And when he had gone into the Tabernacle of the Covenant, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door, and he spoke with Moses.

Exodus 33:10 And all discerned that the pillar of cloud stood at the door of the Tabernacle. And they stood and worshipped at the doors of their tents.

Exodus 33:11 But the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, just as a man is used to speaking to his friend. And when he returned to the camp, his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, did not withdraw from the Tabernacle.

Exodus 33:12 Then Moses said to the Lord: “You instruct me to lead this people away, and you do not reveal to me whom you will send with me, particularly since you have said: ‘I know you by name, and you have found favor before me.’

Exodus 33:13 If, therefore, I have found favor in your sight, show your face to me, so that I may know you and may find grace before your eyes. Look favorably on your people, this nation.”

Exodus 33:14 And the Lord said, “My face will precede you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:15 And Moses said: “If you will not yourself precede us, then do not lead us away from this place.

Exodus 33:16 For how will we be able to know, I and your people, that we have found grace in your sight, unless you walk with us, so that we may be glorified out of all the people who live upon the earth?”

Exodus 33:17 Then the Lord said to Moses: “This word also, which you have spoken, I will do. For you have found grace before me, and I have known you by name.”

Exodus 33:18 And he said, “Show me your glory.”

Exodus 33:19 He responded: “I will show you all that is good, and I will call out with the name of the Lord before you. And I will take pity on whomever I will, and I will be lenient to whomever it will please me.”

Exodus 33:20 And again he said: “You are not able to see my face. For man shall not see me and live.”

Exodus 33:21 And again, he said: “Behold, there is a place with me, and you shall stand upon the rock.

Exodus 33:22 And when my glory will cross over, I will set you in a cleft of the rock, and I will protect you with my right hand, until I pass by.

Exodus 33:23 And I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back. But my face you are not able to see.”

Exodus 34:1 And after this he said: “Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone similar to the first ones, and I will write upon them the words which were held on the tablets that you broke.

Exodus 34:2 Be prepared in the morning, so that you may immediately ascend onto Mount Sinai, and you shall stand with me on the summit of the mountain.

Exodus 34:3 Let no one ascend with you, and do not let anyone be seen throughout the entire mountain. Likewise, do not let the oxen or the sheep pasture up against it.”

Exodus 34:4 And so he cut out two tablets of stone, like those that were before. And rising up in the night, he ascended onto Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had instructed him, carrying with him the tablets.